Since those photos were taken I’ve made several changes in the adjoining laundry room, but the only thing I’ve done to the kitchen is replace the miniblinds with yarn block cafe curtains. I really really want to paint the kitchen walls. The color is just way too fleshy-beige for me and it’s got to go. I cannot handle the pink undertones. The big thing holding me back, besides my hatred of cutting in, is that from our front door you can see through the living room, dining room, kitchen, all the way to the laundry room. I’m really keeping it real with this photo, y’all. I took it this morning without doing any tidying beforehand.

The dining room is a nice taupe. It’s the darkest room in the house and a little cave-like at times, but I don’t mind it enough to paint. The laundry room is now white. I feel like the kitchen needs to bridge the two, or at least look nice with both colors. If I had my druthers I’d paint it white (less worry about cutting in, since the trim and cabinets are also white), but I feel like two white rooms right next to each other is just a bit much. I need something that sorts of lands midway between the two in terms of saturation.

So I’ve narrowed the prospective wall color down to three options: light gray, cream, or pale blue.

Caitlyn Wilson

This is similar to the color we painted Jack’s room, and I likes it. I think it would look really nice against the white cabinets, but I’m not so sure about the taupe dining room walls.

Houzz

The master bedroom and downstairs bath were both painted a creamy off-white when we bought our house and it’s surprisingly delightful. It’s neutral without being WHITE and I think it would definitely play nicely with both the dining room and the laundry.

the handmade home

Every time I’ve ever painted a room anything but a neutral I’ve lived to regret it but man is this tempting. This kitchen even has the same beigey tile floors as mine they look great together! But I can just imagine those blue walls starting to close in on me after a few months and then I’d be stuck either living with it or cutting in around all those edges again. As I’m writing this post I’m really sort of leaning towards cream walls. Maybe I’ll stop by the Benjamin Moore store today and pick up some swatches? I feel bad that I use their colors but I never buy their paint. It’s just so expensive!

So, thoughts? I have literally been mentally debating this topic for months. I hate to paint, so whatever goes up on those walls needs to stand the test of time.

Moving on, it sure looks like spring outside here in south Louisiana, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it this week! It’s been just a tad too chilly for my taste, but every time I look out the window I get excited for the warm days to come. And I’ve been daydreaming about what Jack and I will be up to this summer. I’m envisioning visits to the pool and lots of time spent playing under the shade of our oak tree.

Jack already has two swimsuits thanks to my friend Anne who loaned me her son’s from last summer. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I’ll ever be pulling on a bikini again so a new suit is in order for me. I am super cheap about clothes and usually wear the same 1-2 suits for years and years so this is a major investment. Happily, I realized that I can save a few bucks by just getting a tankini top to pair with my old black bikini bottom.

Mossimo striped tankini

It’s HOT here in the summer and pool time is a must. I’ve got a couple of resources in mind for water play: Nick’s parents’ pool (an hour away), our friend Jane’s apartment complex (right down the street!), a galvanized tub filled with water in the backyard, and trips to the splashpad at a public park across town. I’m not sure how much sunbathing I’ll be doing (I guess that’ll depend on how mobile Jack is), but how perfect would this be for toting all the accoutrements needed to obtain a proper mama-tan?

Moda Bake Shop

I’ve been thinking of dryer days as well, and in fact I just ordered a wooden baby swing to hang from the oak tree out front. I can’t wait until it comes in! I’ve also been thinking of craigslisting the rarely-used rocking chairs on our front porch to make room for some outdoor toys for Jack. We don’t have a garage or carport to store a bunch of big bulky toys, but one or two favorites could be tucked in a corner of the porch–maybe a mini basketball goal or a toddler play gym, depending on his interests and abilities when his June birthday rolls around.

Spring and summer are my absolute favorite times of the year. I could happily spend the whole day outside basking in the fresh air and sunshine. I’m so so so excited to get to experience it with Jack this year! Isn’t it funny that pretty much everything I’m excited about has to do with motherhood? Although I’ve gotta say I’m looking forward to some refreshing summertime beverages as well. Maybe I’ll whip up some more of my fruity ice cubes–they can turn a glass of wine into instant sangria, or just perk up some iced tea or gingerale if I’m feeling tame. And hopefully sooner rather than later I’ll get some veggies planted in my garden–nothing like homegrown tomatoes! I hope those of you still seeing snow on the ground aren’t too jealous, and maybe all these thoughts of summer will get you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, haha. Happy Thursday!

Our neighbor’s house is really close on this side so we definitely need something for privacy, but anytime that I raise the blinds I’m amazed by how much lovely light floods in. I’d love to be able to cover just the lower half and leave the top open. I always thought cafe curtains were a little too country for me, but these two I spotted on Pinterest are actually sort of my jam.

goodknits

Woman’s Day

I think the punchy colors and distinctive lack of any chickens are what make them feel more my style. Since this window is only a few feet away from my floral laundry room skirt I think it would be fun to use a more geometric pattern to compliment it. Bonus–geometrics are totally DIYable! I’ve got some stuff that makes any acrylic paint fabric-friendly so maybe I’ll try my hand at textile design (yarn block printing, perhaps?). And if I can knock it out with some scrap fabric I already have on hand then the only expense will be a tension rod. That’s a big plus since even though I’ve gotten a lot of bang for my buck in my recent laundry room/butler’s nook projects I’ve still spent about $100 so far (and I still want to add shelves, attractive pet food storage, and window shades). El Cheapo I’m married to is getting a little twitchy about it.

Speaking of Nick, I wanted to share with y’all that this has been a pretty huge week for him. He got a promotion at work and is now the manager of a brand new location. It’s something he’s been working toward for a while and he’s really excited about it. If you’re local and need a rental car go see him at Hertz in Denham Springs. Or just wish him luck from afar! I’m so so proud of him and excited to see him succeed. Go Nick!

This is the far right corner of the laundry room. It’s right off the kitchen, and it’s where we stow all of our pet accoutrements. The litter box, dog and cat food, a large crate, etc. It’s my least favorite part of the house. Below you can see it from a little further back. This is right before I painted the laundry room walls white.

It’s basically a nook that’s about three feet deep and five feet wide, and for the longest time I’ve dreamed of turning it into the world’s tiniest half bath (it’s just large enough to meet local building codes). The main bath downstairs is accessible only through bedrooms, so I thought adding a powder room that was more conveniently located for guests would be a good move for resale. But bathrooms are expensive and I never figured out where I would move the displaced litter box.

So then I started thinking about how to improve the existing function of the space. A skirted table over the litter box would obscure it from view and provide a surface area for pet food in nice looking canisters. I thought maybe I could place a piece of painted plywood atop two small filing cabinets, then hang fabric from a tension rod across the front. But the more I mulled it over in my mind, the more I thought maybe I should go for something a little more built in. Like this:

desire to inspire

The photo above encompasses nearly everything that’s been swirling around in my mind. The wood counter, skirted front, shelves above. I don’t think I’ll be going for something as bold as those stripes, but I do feel inspired to use a patterned fabric for the skirt. And instead of a sink the counter will be solid. I think I might copy those shelves exactly because I hadn’t quite figured out how to work around the window until I saw this photo. It’ll be like a butler’s pantry of sorts, but if we get an electrician to drop an outlet over there down the line it could also be used as a desk or sewing nook.

I’ve found several tutorials online for DIYing wood countertops, and since I’d only need a section about five feet long, with no cutouts or anything, I think I can handle it. Glue a couple of boards together, stain and seal, and mount the whole operation to the wall. Voila, wood countertop.

So what do you think? Should I go for it? I figure even if it’s a massive flop I’m out only about $30 in lumber and some wasted time.

House to Home

I’ve seen lots of pianos on Pinterest and various blogs painted fun colors, but I think I’d leave ours au naturel. There’s something so classic about the rich, dark wood.

Apartment Therapy

Garden View Cottage

I know exactly where I’d put it. The sofa in our dining room is awkwardly low and rarely used. I’d replace it in a heartbeat.

I see pianos listed for free or very cheap on craigslist all the time, but the kicker is finding a way to move it! I hear these things are heavy. I’m in no hurry so I figure one day the stars will align and I’ll have a piano available and a method of transport. Until then I’ll just be dreaming of teaching myself to play with an iPhone app!

Shopping Candy

It’s a coat closet turned into a little mini library. Isn’t it gorgeous? My mind immediately went to the long, skinny closet off our guest room that we currently use as a pantry/tool shed/attic.

This picture is actually from the last time Nick and I cleaned it out last February. It’s a complete disaster right now. The biggest problem I have with our house is that there is no utility storage. No garage, no shed, no carport, and only a tiny little hatch to an attic with no flooring. I dream of someday getting a shed, adding proper attic access, and laying down some plywood up there, but those two projects combined would probably total over a thousand dollars–inexpensive in the grand scheme of home improvement and resale value, but not really possible in the season of our lives in which we live on one income. So the closet will look like this for some time to come, but if I ever do get all that crap out of there here’s what I’d love to do with it…

Floor to ceiling built-ins lining the left side, with shelves that reach between the studs to maximize the narrow space and cabinets along the bottom to provide some practical hidden storage. Eight inch deep shelves and cabinets would still leave 28″ of clearance for the walkway. I’m not familiar with the residential code for our area but google tells me that that meets the OSHA standard for public buildings.

Diane Bergeron Interiors

A glass-paned door at the entrance so you don’t feel like you’re locked in a closet. The door that’s there now is original to the house so I’d like to be able to reuse it elsewhere instead of throwing it out.

Home Depot

A built in bench at the back of the closet, where the space extends to the left underneath the stairs. Maybe we could have cubbies underneath the bench to store extra blankets and pillows. And a little light above to make the perfect reading nook. It’s almost as deep as our Ektorp sofa and long enough for little ‘ol me to stretch out fully.

Of course I’d need a way to reach those top shelves, but one of those fancy rolling library ladders is outside of even my fantasy budget. This stepstool is not too bad to look at and could hang unobtrusively on a hook on the wall.

Amazon

It’s quite dreary out today and I can’t help but daydream of curling up in a pile of pillows to read a good book in my little library. Of course that would require that I actually had time to read a book, haha. But seriously, how great would a space like this be to encourage a kid (or grownup) to read? What could be more fun than a reading nook that feels like a secret hiding spot? I remember hiding in my closet with a book trying to avoid having to do chores. I read all the time, so my mom had no qualms about telling me to put down that book and come wash some dishes.

I hope this Monday morning is not treating you too badly. I had a looooong weekend of single parenthood while Nick was in Baltimore for a buddy’s wedding. I will not be agreeing to anything like that again for a long time. It was HARD being the only parent for eighty consecutive hours, even with a break to visit my inlaws for a few hours Saturday night. Next time maybe I’ll go to the wedding and leave Nick at home with a freezer of frozen milk, haha.

Pinterest

Then I started thinking about other inexpensive patio materials, and got the idea of using those super-cheap 12″x12″ concrete pavers with crushed gravel inbetween. Since they’re only an inch thick they wouldn’t require as much excavation underneath (maybe just two inches to allow for a layer of sand) and I could probably get all the materials for under $200.

Better Homes and Gardens

Apartment Therapy

The pavers in the photos above appear to be much larger than the ones I’ve got in mind, but since the area we’re working with is small (about 10′x10′) I think the smaller scale would work. It would be nice, also, to build some sort of simple structure for shade, since not a lick of natural shade is to be found in our backyard. I’m thinking maybe a simple frame with a beamed or lattice roof, which would really be pushing the limits of our technical abilities.

Apartment Therapy

MSN Real Estate

Of course, these are all just hopes and dreams until we get this whole baby thing settled, but Nick is so frustrated with the weeds in that corner of the yard that he’s already trying to talk me into dousing the area with salt. Maybe by late summer I can get him digging with the promise that this will solve the weed problem forever?

Exhibit A: Why are there no upper cabinets on this side of the kitchen?

I really want to add some attractive storage on either side of the range hood. I was thinking cabinets for a long time, but the more I think about it open shelving seems like an easier option. I could DIY it and easily customize the length to fit the space available. I’m digging the look of these, from Young House Love.

But I think I like the bracket style of these shelves better (from Pure Style Home). And that beadboard is pretty amazing, too.

Also on my list of complaints for this area of the kitchen is the range hood. I like the way the big metal cover looks (although it could use a good scrubbing and a few coats of paint), but the vent inside has seen better days. It doesn’t really even work at all, just makes a bunch of noise. I don’t know how to go about replacing it, though. Do I just buy a new vent and mount it up inside there?

Exhibit B for the case against this kitchen’s lack of function: the lighting. This is the only light fixture in the room. Lots of people come over and oooh and ahhh over the fact that it appears to have been designed to double as a pot rack. The only problem with that is that it hangs smack dab in the middle of the room, as opposed to over a counter or island, and even our nine foot ceilings are not tall enough for us to be able to hang pots from it and still walk underneath. Well, I could walk under it, since I’m only 5′ tall, but anyone closer to Nick’s height would have some serious problems.

The other issue with it is that it is always behind me when I’m working, casting the area in front of me in shadow. I get so sick of prepping meals in shadow. That’s my excuse for why I make Nick do all the cooking these days. I’d like to move it to hang over the section of counter I’m about to talk about in my next point and maybe add recessed lighting spread throughout the room for better lighting overall.

And third in my list of stupid things: this.

I think the official name for it is a pass-through. I hate it. It’s better than having a solid wall there, but not by much. If I had unlimited funds I would call a structural engineer right this minute and get that wall knocked down ASAP. I have dreams of someday opening it up and adding a bar overhang to make it a bona fide breakfast area. Check out my very, very rough mockup below.

Doesn’t it make so much more sense? The kitchen feels bigger already just looking at it. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly the kind of project Nick and I can tackle ourselves over a weekend, or even feel comfortable hiring a handyman to do. We need someone professional to come out and determine if it’s structurally safe to take that wall out and make sure it’s done right. Can’t have the house falling down on our little family. And when I think “professional,” I think, “expensive.” How much would a structural engineer charge for something like this?

So that’s my list of complaints, in order of most simple to remedy to most difficult. What would you do if this were your house? Would you just leave well enough alone, or chip away little by little at turning an okay kitchen into a really nice one? Would you knock out that wall? I don’t know if I’ll ever be brave or rich enough to do it, but a girl can dream.

1. Jenny Lind crib – $170
2. DIY Ombre You Are My Sunshine Canvas
3. Benjamin Moore Classic Gray
4. Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad – $16
5. Double Dresser in True Blue – $1179 (!)
6. Bentwood Rocker – $15 secondhand (image from here)
7. Pier 1 Teal Honeycomb Lamp – $55
8. Geometric Retro Cushion Cover – $25
9. Schumacher Zenyatta Mondatta Peacock Fabric – $128 (!)

Some of these things I’m pretty set on, like the crib, wall art, and rocking chair. Others are just inspiration. I definitely want to have a low, wide dresser double as a changing table, but I will definitely not be shelling out 1200 bucks for the one pictured here. I hope to spend at least 1100 fewer dollars on something secondhand and then paint it navy blue. Same goes for that chevron fabric. At over $100/yd it will definitely be serving more of an inspirational role in the real-life nursery. I’ve already got the rocker, plus I’ll be moving in a wooden side table from the living room to hold books, burp cloths, a colorful lamp, and whatever else I need to keep close at hand while rocking and nursing.

The room currently has a basic light in the ceiling, but I’d like to install a ceiling fan for air circulation and white noise. I can’t decide, though, whether to get one with a light kit or not. The switch is really inconveniently located behind a door and I’ll probably be keeping the room rather dim at night anyway, so I’m tempted to do just-a-fan and keep it on all the time, using the lamp for light. All the fancy bloggers always talk about how fans with light kits are ugly and I guess they’ve gotten in my head a bit. When I imagine selling our house eventually, though, I picture buyers frowning at a fan with no light. And when I think about it, the fans with lights in the living room, office, and guest room don’t bother me in the least. Maybe because we have high ceilings? Decisions, decisions…And as for the daytime light situation, the room gets great natural light so I’m planning to whip up some DIY blackout shades to play a supporting role to the white muslin curtain panels already there. Shades up = awesome natural light. Shades down = naptime perfection.

There are a few things i haven’t totally figured out yet, like a mobile, additional wall art, and extra storage, but I’ve got lots of ideas and am really excited to get started! I’m also happy that the one upside of having four freaking months left of pregnancy is that I’ve got plenty of time to put the room together at my own pace. No last-minute scramble for this girl (hopefully). My plan is to start with the big stuff and then let the rest of the room sort of fall into place. Priority mission: find a dresser.

I’ve been thinking about craigslisting a bookcase, hutch, china cabinet, armoire, etc…something relatively inexpensive to maximize vertical storage on that wall. But then the other day I saw this project on another blog. She used inexpensive Ikea Billy bookcases and some standard trim to create a whole wall of built-ins for under $400.

pssss…if you want to pin either of these images please do so from the original post over at Centsational Girl

I took a gander at the Ikea website, broke out my tape measure, and realized that two of these $5o bookcases would fit perfectly in that space (and like Centsational Girl I’d just use a box cutter to notch out an opening for the light switch in the back).

Ikea

And this $20 height extension would take it right up to the bottom of that weird part where the wall juts out below the ceiling (oh the joys of living in an old house–when central air was added the ducts had to go somewhere).

Ikea

This is one of those things I’ll dream about for a while and may or may not ever actually make a reality. And I gotta admit, there are some advantages to the idea of just throwing a thrifted piece of furniture over there–it’s easy, inexpensive, and could maybe even incorporate some (gasp) concealed storage. OMG a cabinet with DOORS would be amazing. But I’m going to keep the possibility of creating built ins for under $200 in my pocket in case I’m still storage-less next time I get the itch for a big project.